John Jay High School/Science and Engineering Academy English I/English II On Level Welcome to English I & II, Reading is one of the best things you can do to prepare yourself for the challenges of the upcoming school year. Enjoying a good book will help expand your vocabulary, deepen critical thinking, and enhance focus and imagination. Equally important, reading is the very best way to strengthen your writing skills! As a Mustang student, we ask that you read at least one novel of your choice this summer. There is no other assignment than to read and be ready to discuss your book when school starts. Remember, you can choose whichever book you wish to read - it does not have to be on the list below. The following titles are included just to give you some ideas. They are books that are popular in the library, award winners, or recommended by teachers. The novels marked by an asterisk indicate those which are on the Northside approved book list. Other titles may contain adult themes and content, so we encourage you to do some research or speak with your parents before selecting a title. You can check out digital books on Sora, Libby, and Overdrive through your school library. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the English Department Coordinator, Mrs. Katawaba Brown ([email protected]). Happy Reading! There Might Be Kissing: Romance 1. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon 2. Love, Hate and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed 3. Pride and Prejudice* by Jane Austen 4. There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon 5. The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon 6. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green Nice Place to Visit, But I Wouldn’t Want to Live There: Sci Fi, Dystopian, Post Apocalyptic 1. Anthem* by Ayn Rand 2. Dry by Neal Shusterman 3. Legend by Marie Lu 4. The Martian Chronicles* by Ray Bradbury 5. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld 6. Unwind* by Neal Shusterman 7. Warcross by Marie Lu Everybody Has Secrets: Mystery 1. One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus 2. Sadie by Courtney Summers 3. Spin by Lamar Giles 4. Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson Creepy and We Like it: Horror/Thriller 1. In the Woods by Tana French 2. The Raven’s Tale by Cat Winters 3. There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins Remembering Wars and Other Larger-Than-Life Events: Historical Fiction 1. Audacity by Melanie Crowder 2. The Book Thief* by Markus Zusak 3. The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee 4. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys 5. The Watch That Ends The Night by Allan Wolf 6. What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell What? You Thought only Boys could be Tough?: Books with Strong Female Protagonists 1. Graceling by Kristin Cashore 2. Heartless by Marissa Meyer 3. The House on Mango Street* by Sandra Cisneros 4. The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson 5. Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu 6. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake 7. We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez So, You Think You’re a Tough Guy?: Books with Strong Male Protagonists 2 1. Code of Honor by Alan Gratz 2. Darius The Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorran 3. Golden Arm by Carl Deuker 4. Here to Stay by Sara Farizan 5. Lord of the Flies* by Willliam Golding 6. We Were Here by Matt De la Pena Teen Angst: Relatable Stories of High School Drama 1. Every Exquisite Thing by Matthew Quick 2. Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner 3. Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven 4. I'm Not Dying with You Tonight by Kimberly Jones This Is My Life: Coming of Age 1. All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney 2. American Street by Ibi Zoboi 3. Hey Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka 4. How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon 5. The Secret life of Bees* by Sue Monk Kidd 6. Tyler Johnson was Here by Jay Coles Incredibly Real Life: Nonfiction 1. Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah 2. Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang Gn 3. I am Malala* by Christina Lamb and Malala Yousafazi 4. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson 5. Muck City: Winning and Losing in Football’s Forgotten Town by Bryan Mealer * Indicates vetted, approved titles from the NISD English I-IV Approved Reading List 3.